WIREDGOV

With a month to go until His Majesty The King’s Coronation, over £3 million of National Lottery funding has been awarded to communities across the UK so they can come together in celebration.

The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK, has revealed over 700 community organisations across the UK to date have been awarded a grant to help them mark the historic occasion, which is set to take place on Saturday 6th May.

The funding, which ranges from grants of £300 up to £10,000, has been made available to support activities on the weekend of 6th – 8th May, with an emphasis on events and activities that bring people together and have a positive and lasting impact on community engagement.

Among those awarded a grant are Friends of Victoria Park, Stretford, in Manchester, who have received £10,000 to host a number of free community events at the park, including a Coronation picnic on 13th May, which will include a barbecue, live music and Coronation themed crafts.

The Friends of Victoria Park was formed in 2001 following concerns that the park, a popular fixture since opening in 1902, was being neglected and falling into disrepair. Their other events planned throughout the year include brass band performances in the summer, as well as Halloween and Christmas events.

Shelly Quinton-Hulme, Chairperson for the Friends of Victoria Park, Stretford, says: “We are so excited to be able to celebrate the King’s Coronation with our planned community events in the park. They will bring everyone together to celebrate and have a good time. Fingers crossed the weather will be kind to us! Thank you to the National Lottery Community Fund and National Lottery players for making this possible.”

In the North West, Witherslack Parish Hall in Cumbria has been awarded almost £2,400 to host a series of events over the Coronation weekend, including an intergenerational picnic and sports day, a competition to dress the village, an evening ceilidh and commemorative tree planting. By organising a series of activities that appeal to the whole community, the group aims to tackle social isolation in the rural community.

In the Midlands, thanks to a grant of £10,000, Northampton Town Centre Ltd will be undertaking a volunteer-led community clean-up to bring a neglected green space back to life. Working with its partners, the group will complete infrastructure and landscaping work at St Katherine’s Gardens in preparation for a volunteer organised community event at the park, to be held on Monday 8th May.

Stanley Arts project

In South London, Stanley Arts in South Norwood’s celebrations will be inspired by his Majesty The King’s interest in conservation and sustainability. Vegan Caribbean food will be provided, alongside music from a local steel band, green activities including 'bug-hotel' making and participatory planting, sculpture workshops using recycled materials, fashion up-cycling and swap-shops.

Moa Taylor Hodin, Heritage Engagement Manager for Stanley Arts, South Norwood said: “We're delighted to bring the community together for our South Norwood Green Coronation Get-together this May at Stanley Arts, to celebrate building a greener future for everyone. We've programmed a jampacked day of workshops, performances, a free lunch and more! We're so grateful for the funding we have received to make this event possible, with thanks to National Lottery players.”

His Majesty The King’s Coronation will also be celebrated with The Big Help Out, a campaign to recruit thousands of volunteers for more than 1,500 UK charities. Alongside this there will be a Coronation Champions campaign, which will celebrate the achievements of outstanding volunteers.

The campaigns, which will be delivered by Shaping the Future with Volunteering, Together Coalition and the Royal Voluntary Society with support from the Royal Household, have received over £280,000 in funding from The National Lottery Community Fund.

Commenting on the range of funding awarded, Blondel Cluff CBE, Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We are proud to be playing a key role in helping communities come together in celebration of the Coronation of His Majesty the King.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, these events and activities are the first we are announcing funding for that will have a real impact on people’s lives. The events will promote community cohesion and engage people from different generations and cultures to get to know one another and share experiences. By helping communities celebrate such a historic occasion, we hope to inspire a legacy of positive change that allows people to thrive together.”

National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes across the UK. In the last 12 months we have given out nearly £600 million to 12,500 organisations reaching every local authority and constituency in the UK